This is the moment a couple took their romance to new heights by exchanging vows – on a tightrope 25 metres off the ground.
Chris Bull – in full morning suit – and Phoebe Baker – in a flowing white wedding dress – started from opposite ends of the 75 metre-long highwire before meeting in the middle.
They then said ‘I do’ over the heads of around 100 friends and family watching on from the ground at Wookey Hole in Somerset.
The event – billed as the UK’s first-ever highwire wedding – was always on the cards for the daredevil couple.
Chris, 37, a professional rope walker, fell for Chloe, 25, at a circus show where she was a costume designer.
The ceremony was so unusual that signing the marriage certificate wasn’t actually legal up in the air and they had to sign it on the ground before heading up.
The wedding, which took place on May 1st, needed a full dress rehearsal beforehand to ensure everything went off without a hitch.
Chris, who lives with Phoebe in an original 1930s showman’s caravan in Hanham, Bristol said: “I’ve been a rope walker for 12 years and it was something I’d always dreamt of.
“I never thought I’d find a wife to agree but I proposed to Phoebe in Burma and one of the first conversations we had about it was me saying how cool it would be to get married on a high wire.
“She thought it was a crazy idea but to my surprise she actually said she’d be up for it.
“Phoebe had been developing her skills on a low wire at the time so we decided with some more practise we’d give it a go.
“We are so lucky to have found a venue to make our crazy dreams a reality. Daniel Medley and Gerry Cottle, the joint owners, have been brilliant.”
The ambitious wedding was so unique it required a dress rehearsal to make sure it went off without a hitch
The marriage was conducted by Chris’ pal, who is a ringmaster ordained to marry people, from the ground using a megaphone.
Circus showman Gerry agreed to host the highwire wedding after Chris read his autobiography and emailed him asking if he could help stage it.
Chris added: “It was a dream come true and Gerry was 100 per cent behind the idea, helping us with rigging and planning.
Friends and family packed into the caves to greet the bride and groom
“This is a day we’re going to remember fondly for the rest of our lives and we’re so pleased it reflects us as a couple.”
Phoebe said: “This is Chris and I all over.
“My mum was slightly nervous at the thought of the idea first of all, but we agreed to install a safety wire at her request so she was fine in the end.
“Both of our families are really supportive of our circus lifestyle.”
Wookey Hole is one of the largest cave systems in Europe and runs a Circus School for children so much of the equipment needed was already in place.
Joint-owner and director Daniel Medley said: “We’ve held several weddings at Wookey Hole in the caves themselves but never any as ambitious and unique as Chris and Phoebe’s.
“We’re up for pretty much anything here and if we can create a really different, special wedding day which people will remember for years then we will.”
The service was conducted by an ordained circus ringmaster
“My mum was slightly nervous at the thought of the idea first of all, but we agreed to install a safety wire at her request so she was fine in the end.
“Both of our families are really supportive of our circus lifestyle.”
Wookey Hole is one of the largest cave systems in Europe and runs a Circus School for children so much of the equipment needed was already in place.
Joint-owner and director Daniel Medley said: “We’ve held several weddings at Wookey Hole in the caves themselves but never any as ambitious and unique as Chris and Phoebe’s.
“We’re up for pretty much anything here and if we can create a really different, special wedding day which people will remember for years then we will.”
